The charity close to home that Adam Barrett’s running the marathon for

ADAM Barrett is on a special mission when he runs the London Marathon next Sunday – to raise as much money as he can to thank the charity who provided invaluable support to his late mother.

The Millwall first-team coach’s mum June passed away
last year after a brave battle against PSP (Progressive supranuclear palsy),
but he will always be grateful to Havens Hospice for the help they gave her and
the rest of the family.

It’s why the former Southend defender decided it would
be fitting to try to repay them by raising money through his London Marathon
effort.

The 39-year-old said: “My mum had a rare disease and
there’s no cure for it. Havens Hospice were an amazing support for her, my dad,
who was her carer, my brother and me.

“It’s purely charitable and they are building a new site
in Southend. They are having to move because of the demand. They are amazing
people and I also saw that though being an ambassador for Little Havens, which
helps support children and their familiies.

“I can’t thank them enough and when I decided to run the
London Marathon, I said I was going to raise as much money as I could to help
with the new building.”

Barrett, who also played for the likes of Plymouth,
Mansfield, Bristol Rovers and Gillingham in a lengthy playing career, admitted
it hasn’t been easy clocking up the miles in preparation for the big day.

“The training aspect is tough when you are working and
travelling,” he said. “I’ve had enough of the training and long runs on my own
– I’m ready for it now.

“At the start I was thinking under four hours would be
good, but the longer the training has gone on, the more I’m thinking I just
want to get round in one piece!

“I’m nearly 40 and I’m not a runner, but I want to enjoy
the occasion as much as possible.”

The marathon isn’t the only fundraiser on Barrett’s
agenda. Alongside the Southend Echo’s Chris Phillips, he’s organising a charity
match that will pit Southend’s League One title-winning squad from 2006 against
the Colchester team that finished second that season.

The Sid Broomfield Trophy match has been pencilled in
for Monday, May 20 (7.30pm) at Roots Hall with tickets priced £5 for adults and
£1 for concessions, with the money raised also going to the Havens Hospice
appeal.

“I’m a Southend boy, it’s my club and that was a really
special time,” he said. “We pipped Colchester to the title that season and they
got promoted as well.

“It will be brilliant to renew that rivalry and I’m
looking forward to kicking one or two Colchester players again! We’re all a bit
older now and a few lads have put on a bit of timber, but I’m really looking
forward to it.

“We’ll reminisce a bit, have fun on the pitch and
hopefully a lot of people will turn up to watch.”

By that time, the regular season will have ended and
Barrett will know if his current club, Millwall, are still a Championship team.
It’s been a tough year for the Lions and they’re in a relegation fight, but
Barrett sees cause for optimism.

“The lads have been playing some really good football
over the last five or six games and we’ve had some good performances,” he said.
“They are grafting for each other as shown by scoring in injury time at
Sheffield United last week to earn a point.

“We went up last year and caught everyone cold, but this year was always going to be difficult. The financial power of teams in the division makes it tough, but the players are working their socks off. It might go to the last game, but I’m very confident we can do it.”

For tickets to the charity game, see http://www.shrimperstrust.co.uk/shop. They can also be purchased from the Southend ticket office (cash only) and will be available on the night.

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